Aberrant: 200X - Introduction Thread

[Odysseus]

Hey, everyone. Those of you that're here, anyway. My name's William, but you can call me Will, if you like. For lack of being one already, I thought I'd post up a thread for those of us who are here already and and new arrivals to post up a little information about themselves and introduce themselves to the other members of this forum.

So, like I said, my name's Will. I work as a Paramedic and EMT in New York City. I erupted not too long ago, and thanks to what I was doing when it happened and the fact that I didn't get any really flash or cool powers - you know, no stopping the sun or melting tanks or making Lindsey Lohan cute like she was six years ago or anything like that - well, it didn't make much of a mark. In fact, I'm still sort of "in the closet" as a nova, as it were, which is why I don't want to speak too much on myself. Still, what I can tell you is that I'm a pretty normal guy, in my thirties, living in the city. I enjoy my work, and erupting has made it easier, although not tangibly. To be honest, part of the reason I haven't gone public is because as a nova, I'm a bit of a disappointment. I think I got a half-node, or something. Anyway, I thought it'd be interesting to talk about this new situation for me, and hey, what better way than to use the OpNet for the same thing many of us have been using it for since back when it was APRANet: to speak honestly under the mask of anonymity.

All that said, I won't ruin this whole process of getting to know each other by turning this into a dissertation on my rather humble little life. I'm Will, I'm a nova, good to meet you.

[VileBill]

BOOOOOOOOORING!!!!

Sorry Will, but fuckin' c'mon man! You're a nova. If you aren't getting it wet three times nightly then you're a waste of node. Get up off yer ass, come to one of the real party towns and you will, and I mean WILL get laid with a vengence. I swear.

Me, I'm Vile Bill. I'm a God of War, Elite, and the sexiest fucking thing in a cowboy hat. I beat the shit out of motherfuckers for a living. Or kill them. Depends on how uppity they get. I clear out rebels, stomp on coke lords, protect rich folks and beat the shit of tanks with my bare fucking hands.

I'm the Lord and Master of all I survey and if someone gets in my way I'll puke out the Nasty Black and show them the error of their ways.

I'm a great friend and a bad guy to piss off. I party hard, often and beautifully. The tongue, gums and peepers be black as oil but I'm still a fucking stud.

Who else is here? Gimme a holla!

[Miranda Skye]

One holla here.

My name's Miranda Skye, and if you're able to do something at least halfway impressive, you're one up on me.

That said, I have decided to use my... notoriety, for lack of a proper term, to fund a project of mine. Details should be up in a few.

[Flicker]

Lindsey Lohan used to be cute?

I go by Flicker. My real name is kind of embarassing.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted By: VileBill

BOOOOOOOOORING!!!!

Sorry Will, but fuckin' c'mon man! You're a nova. If you aren't getting it wet three times nightly then you're a waste of node. Get up off yer ass, come to one of the real party towns and you will, and I mean WILL get laid with a vengence. I swear.

Me, I'm Vile Bill.

Wow. Vile Bill just asked me to hit the town. I'm strangely honored and justifiably afraid. Thanks for the offer, Bill, but all the same, I like maintaining my "stealth nova" facade. Fuck knows that one night out with you and I'd be labeled as the Big Apple's latest answer to the nova bad boy archetype, and believe me, man, as specfuckingtacular as going out for an all-you-can-eat trim buffet with a professional warlord sounds in theory, in practice it would complicate my little life beyond my meager imagination. Still, I'm honored you even brought the idea up.

Originally Posted By: Miranda Skye

My name's Miranda Skye, and if you're able to do something at least halfway impressive, you're one up on me.

Seems you have me at a disadvantage, Miss Skye. You may have "only" gotten wings, but I got the greasy little bits of skin left over at the bottom of this KFC Bucket O' Cosmic Power. All the same, I'm not bitter, believe me. I've seen some of your work, by the way, and have heard about your upcoming project. Good luck with that.

Originally Posted By: Flicker

Lindsey Lohan used to be cute?

Before your time, I'm guessing? It was long enough ago that to have said she was ever "sexy" would indicate some potentially unhealthy sexual appetites for the young, let's put it that way.

[Flicker]

I was kidding around. She was cute back when I was in elementary school. It's scary how quickly she fell apart.

[Aušrinė]

Hello everyone! My name is Aušrine, which is both my real name and my "nova" name.

I am currently a "free agent", though I do almost all of my work through either DeVries or DVNTS these days. When I'm not under contract for something or other, I live in Tokyo, Japan.

Will, don't mind Vile Bill. He's always like that. You sound like you're adjusting to your eruption very well, so I won't belabor you with any of my silly advice!

Vile Bill, it's nice to see that you're still being you... How's work been for you?

Ms. Skye, Flicker - so nice to make your acquaintences!

[Dr. Robert White]

Salutations everyone. I am Dr. Robert White, and I am pleased to make your aquaintances. All of you seem like great people with amazing futures. I too share in that.

I a presently at the Shriner's Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. I travel across the country and globe to heal sick children. It is something that I take very serious and have devoted my life towards. Everytime I see a child smile because they don't feel sick, or see their paren'ts tears of joy upon learning that their child's leukemia is in remission, I know that the path I have taken is worth it. I hope that the rest of you take similar joy in what they do.

[Viktoriya Orlov]

Hello. My name, as you might have guessed, is Emma Grace. I am a student living and attending school here in the wonderful state of New York, and I look forward to becoming better acquainted with such luminaries and good Samaritans.

[Maverick]

My name's Noel Hayley. I don't really go by Maverick, I just knew if I didn't pick a name, and quick, the media would label me Pegasus or Rainbow Goddess or something equally inane.

I am a unicorn. Yep...great big horn in the middle of my horsey head, which sits atop my horsey body. You may have seen me on the news; they love me, I'm pretty and unique. Bah.

I'm living in Jersey, still with my parents, until I figure out what the hell I'm gonna do. I've gotten that mythic healing ability commonly attributed to unicorns, so it's not all bad. Seems being able to heal with a touch is the sort of thing that can earn a good income.

[Jael Carver]

Hi, I'm Jael (yes, the name is stupid, my mother's idea). I'm eighteen, and I live in Phoenix. I go to high school there. I'm in my senoir year.

I erupted last month and my coolest power is that I got flight. No wings though. It's cut down on what I can wear, though, which is sad.

I actually recognize some of the names here! This is amazing. Does everyone else feel like they've been granted passage into an elite club or something?

[Flicker]

Originally Posted By: Aušrinė

Hello everyone! My name is Aušrinė, which is both my real name and my "nova" name.

(. . .)

Ms. Skye, Flicker - so nice to make your acquaintences!

Good to meet you too! It's a little overwhelming being a member of the club now, but I hope to grow into it.

Names. . . I had to choose a nova name or else I would have ended up "Nova the nova," and that's just silly. Yeah, my parents named me Nova. I know. It was the coolest name ever until 1998 and N-Day. Then it became the dumbest name ever. Hey, that means we're coming up on the 10th anniversary of my name becoming a dumb one! Who wants cake?

[Flicker]

Originally Posted By: Jael Carver

Hi, I'm Jael (yes, the name is stupid, my mother's idea). I'm eighteen, and I live in Phoenix. I go to high school there. I'm in my senoir year.

(. . .)

Does everyone else feel like they've been granted passage into an elite club or something?

From one high school senior with a four-letter silly name who just erupted to another: good to meet you! It's really weird now that you mention it. One day I'm a student-athlete, the next I'm supposed to be able to change the world. How does that work? O.o

[z-Alexis Layton]

Since we're doing introductions, I'll throw out mine. I am Alexis Layton, currently living in Manhattan, but attending Harvard College. And yes, I am the same Alexis Layton who erupted when another girl tried to kill me over a boy.

[Flicker]

Originally Posted By: Alexis Layton

And yes, I am the same Alexis Layton who erupted when another girl tried to kill me over a boy.

Since this is a novas-only forum, how many other Alexis Laytons could there be, anyway?

[z-Alexis Layton]

Originally Posted By: Flicker

Originally Posted By: Alexis Layton

And yes, I am the same Alexis Layton who erupted when another girl tried to kill me over a boy.

Since this is a novas-only forum, how many other Alexis Laytons could there be, anyway?

Impostors and wanna-bes abound.

[Flicker]

*facepalm*

[Rena Morgan]

Originally Posted By: Alexis Layton

Originally Posted By: Flicker

Originally Posted By: Alexis Layton

And yes, I am the same Alexis Layton who erupted when another girl tried to kill me over a boy.

Since this is a novas-only forum, how many other Alexis Laytons could there be, anyway?

Impostors and wanna-bes abound.

I suspect that any nova imposter would have better things to do with his or her time, don't you?

In any event, I suppose I should return to the purpose of the thread and introduce myself. Rena Morgan, late of Sullivan & Cromwell, and presently a highly decorative waste of talent. What with the legal situation on my ability to practice law, I've been looking for ways to fill my time. This seemed as promising a prospect as any.

[Ryusei Hideyoshi]

I'm Ryusei Hideyoshi and I live in Tokyo, Japan. It seems there's a few of us in or near our senior year of schooling here. I'll be a senior next term at Jindai Private Academy and was, until my erruption, a moderately promising student-athelete.. But now I'm a whole lot more.

It is a pleasure to meet all of you and I look forward to seeing you around the site.

Miranda, what do you qualify as halfway-impressive?

[Jael Carver]

Originally Posted By: Flicker

Originally Posted By: Jael Carver

Hi, I'm Jael (yes, the name is stupid, my mother's idea). I'm eighteen, and I live in Phoenix. I go to high school there. I'm in my senoir year.

(. . .)

Does everyone else feel like they've been granted passage into an elite club or something?

From one high school senior with a four-letter silly name who just erupted to another: good to meet you! It's really weird now that you mention it. One day I'm a student-athlete, the next I'm supposed to be able to change the world. How does that work? O.o

Nova is a neat name, though! Much better than mine. At least people can say it right, the first time. It makes me think about stars, the way they look from the summit of Camelback Mountain. 'Jael' sounds like prison.

I'm not sure I can change the world. I know I'm a nova, but I'm not sure that I can. I mean, I'm just one person. I'm going into forsenics so that I can solve crimes, so that I can make a difference in the world. But change it... I don't think that's possible, not for one nova.

But yeah... my boyfriend is strutting around like big stuff because he's got the prettiest girlfriend in school. Thankfully, my friend Shelly is keeping her head about her, and she's been a life-saver!

[Juri 'Salamander' McClendon]

A lot of recent nodelings here, I see. I extend a warm and sincere welcome to all the new quantum accidents, and I'm delighted to see that for the most part you're all excited by the doors that open before you.

Welcome to Club Novus.

I'm Salamander, and some of you may have heard of me. I've been a member of the Club since 2001, and like many of you, I was in my teens when I obtained my membership card. For those of you just joining, let me assure you that if you think it's good now, smile, for it gets better with time. You're only scratching the surface of your potential.

[Flicker]

That's encouraging.

[Mr Fox]

Hey all, Daniel Fox here. I'm not even sure how I got invited to the forum. I haven't exactly made it public that I'm a nova. In fact, I've done a pretty good job so far keeping it a secret. I was kinda hoping to avoid the problems Ryusei mentioned. So far no one has caught on that I'm even a nova, but then I'm not participating in any sports and don't have wings or anything. Man there sure are a lot of seniors. I'm just a sophomore, but I am having a blast so far. The only cool thing I've developed so far is a little nova strength, and I can jump really far. Still, it's really cool to be included in the club and I'm glad to be here.

[Caitlin Kieran]

Wow. This is a pretty impressive list!

My shiny, new "nova name" is Fianna, but my real name's Caitlin. I live in New York (are we Nova Central here, or what?), and if any of you in the area remember something back in the autumn about a volunteer at the Central Park Zoo getting gnawed on, yeah. That's me.

Needless to say, things turned out all right. I'm still volunteering there, although my parents aren't especially happy about it, but I'm enjoying it so far. It's not all sunshine and roses, sure, but the things I can do now are really, really helpful to me and to the zoo staff.

They even gave me a colony of this "eufiber," donated by a group of the zoo's backers. (I'm not sure if it was a bribe to keep me from suing the hell out of them, or just because it looks good for PR to have a nova on their team, but why look a gift horse in the mouth, right?) It's a little on the creepy side, but I've been getting used to it- and to the sort-of impromptu "demonstrations" of my powers for the docents and tour guides.

Anyway, nice to meet you all!

[Mr Fox]

Fianna is a cool nova name. I don't even have one, but then I only have one ability and that is some minor nova strength. I hope those guys aren't treating you like an exhibit. I'm not a Teragen sympathizer or anything, but having you do demonstrations in a zoo sounds kinda exploitive. Heh, exploitive, that's a pretty big word for a sophomore eh? Guess being a nova has improved something about me even if it is only my vocabulary.

I am looking forward to what other powers and stuff I might develop. Been trying to work on learning how to fly and it's coming along. My jumping seems to be getting farther and farther almost every time, and I'm not getting any stronger so that's looking hopeful. I hated the first few times I tried though. Anyone every watch reruns of that old show Greatest American Hero? The guy would take a couple running steps and jump only to fall flat on his face? Yeah, well... I'm doing much better now.

[Flicker]

Originally Posted By: Fianna

My shiny, new "nova name" is Fianna, but my real name's Caitlin. I live in New York (are we Nova Central here, or what?), and if any of you in the area remember something back in the autumn about a volunteer at the Central Park Zoo getting gnawed on, yeah. That's me.

Hi Caitlin, glad you didn't get eaten by a bear!

[Warren Verona]

Originally Posted By: Fianna

(I'm not sure if it was a bribe to keep me from suing the hell out of them, or just because it looks good for PR to have a nova on their team, but why look a gift horse in the mouth, right?)

I'd go with column 'A'.

[Neil Preston]

Neil Preston here. I live in Boston, Mass., but am currently studying in Mumbai. I research taint and aberrancy trying to figure out what's on the other side of the quantum equation. I spend almost all my free time working with Doctors Without Borders, popping all over to places physcians are needed around the globe.

[Flicker]

Originally Posted By: Revenant

Originally Posted By: Fianna

(I'm not sure if it was a bribe to keep me from suing the hell out of them, or just because it looks good for PR to have a nova on their team, but why look a gift horse in the mouth, right?)

I'd go with column 'A'.

This.

[Caitlin Kieran]

Originally Posted By: Flicker

Hi Caitlin, glad you didn't get eaten by a bear!

Thanks!

Originally Posted By: Mr Fox

Fianna is a cool nova name. ... I hope those guys aren't treating you like an exhibit. I'm not a Teragen sympathizer or anything, but having you do demonstrations in a zoo sounds kinda exploitive.

Thanks! I wanted something that pointed to my heritage, but it's amazing how many people have a hard time speaking Gaelic. Oh, and I don't really consider it exploitation. The demonstrations are pretty low-key, really, and I don't mind, since it's really just me working with the animals. The counselor at the Rashoud clinic described it as a sort of "telepathic communication with organic life forms." If the bush baby's being uncooperative when the tour guide's trying to give a presentation to Mr. Grundy's 6th-grade Biology class, they call me. Anyway, it's practice, and I'm hoping to get the chance to try it out on some of our patients pretty soon! It'd be fantastic if we could examine, diagnose, and treat them without needing to drug them every time, since the sedatives are so hard on the animals.

Originally Posted By: Mr Fox

Heh, exploitive, that's a pretty big word for a sophomore eh?

You're a sophomore in high school?

Originally Posted By: Flicker and Revenant

Column A.

Yeeeahhh, that's what my father keeps saying, too.

[Mr Fox]

Yep, high school. I'm doing my time to get edjumacated. Or at least I'm doing that while I try to figure out what to do with my life. I've got the lowest level of nova strength and that's about it so far, but I'm getting pretty close to flying. I love going out at night when no one can see and just jumping as high or as far as I can. It's sounds lame, but the feeling is pretty awesome, and I can't wait till I can do it and just stay up in the air.

[Dr. Robert White]

I have a son in the 9th grade! It's feels great to finally realize that I am old.

There is a saying...well it is acutally something that just came to mind: Age is the path of wisdom. The path of wisdom ends in death.

[Warren Verona]

Originally Posted By: Dr. Robert White

The path of wisdom ends in death.

Not always.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted By: Fianna

I live in New York (are we Nova Central here, or what?), and if any of you in the area remember something back in the autumn about a volunteer at the Central Park Zoo getting gnawed on, yeah. That's me.

S'up fellow Manhattanite? Glad to see you made it through that rough day at the zoo. I hope my buddies treated you alright on your way in, eh?

Originally Posted By: Mr Fox

I'm not a Teragen sympathizer or anything, but having you do demonstrations in a zoo sounds kinda exploitive. Heh, exploitive, that's a pretty big word for a sophomore eh? wink

How is hooking her up with a piece of equipment that routinely goes for several thousand dollars and asking her to represent their organization "exploitive" (the word is 'exploitative', by the way, Boy Wonder)? They're not getting her services through compulsion. It sounds like something she enjoys doing, and nothing about what she's said indicates that she's signed a binding contract or relinquished any of her rights. She's receiving some exposure and publicity doing something she enjoys and believes in.

[Mr Fox]

Dude, my vocabulary got better, I didn't claim my spelling did, old fart.

Hey, if she's enjoying the trip that's cool with me. Some would freak over the fact that I'm still hiding the fact that I'm a nova, but its what is giving me pleasure so that's what I'm doing. It's all good.

[Kevlar]

Hm... maybe I should've gone to this thread first.

Well, I'm Kevin. I'm technically a researcher for DuPont, but they have me doing a lot of PR stuff nowadays.

Power-wise I hesitate to call myself indestructible, but I'm certainly destruction-resistant. Convenient, but not too exciting. Resisting destruction is not the kind of talent one hopes to need often. I don't sleep any more, either, so it's good to have a forum or two to visit at odd hours.

Mr. Fox, have you given any thought to faking your own eruption when the time comes? You could bypass questions about why you didn't speak up earlier and spin your launch into public Nova-dom more than a lot of us get to.

[Flicker]

Originally Posted By: Kevlar

Mr. Fox, have you given any thought to faking your own eruption when the time comes?

Will hilarity ensue?

[Kevlar]

I was thinking, more...

1: Erupt

2: Wait

3: Fake eruption

4: ???

5: PROFIT!

...

But hilarity ensuing is also a distinct possibility.

[Caitlin Kieran]

Originally Posted By: Odysseus

S'up fellow Manhattanite? Glad to see you made it through that rough day at the zoo. I hope my buddies treated you alright on your way in, eh?

From what I can remember? Definitely. I know that much blood had to be unnerving, but they didn't show it at all (God bless New Yorkers and media desensitization), and once they found out my family's Irish, they kept me conscious on the trip to the hospital by telling me dirty limericks.

[Mr Fox]

heh, Hilarity could be fun. Faking my eruption might solve a few problems, I'll have to think about it.